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Role of Pandikkad in Malabar Rebellion

Pandikkad is an important town in the Ernad Taluk of Malabar district, the present-day Malappuram district of Kerala. It is the largest of gram panchayats in the Malappuram district consisting of three villages Pandikkad, Vettikkatiri and Chembrasseri.

Pandikkad was also an important centre of the Malabar rebellion of 1921. Major rebellions happened in the mid-19th and early 20th centuries. The place had notable leaders of the rebellion Variyamkunnath Kunjahmed Haji, Ali Musliyar, Chembrasseri Thangal, Pandiyatt Narayanan Nambeeshan, Pukkunnummal Ali Haji and Unneen Haji.

The first rebellion occurred on 31 March 1894. The battle was under the leadership of Palathingal Unneen Haji and ended in defeat with the death of 32 Mappila warriors. The British retaliated to this incident with more attacks on the Muslim and Hindu communities with many of their houses set on fire, with not even the village Magistrate’s house spared. Women were raped and some of them jumped into wells to protect their dignity.

Origin of the name Pandikkad

In early times, Pandikkad was surrounded by rivers on all four sides. Therefore rafts called Pandi were required to reach the area. Eventually, the place came to be known as Pandikkadavu which was shortened with time to Pandikkad.

Pandikkad during the Malabar rebellion

Pandikkad is regarded as one of the chief centres of the Malabar rebellion among Melattur, Karuvarakkundu, Kalikavu and Wandoor. There were many small and large resistances in Pandikkad against the British.

On 31 March 1894 in Tharippadi of Velluvangad, a struggle happened against the eviction of tenants from their lands. It was led by Unneen Haji and there were 34 other participants in the struggle, about 32 of them were reported as killed.

On 14 August 1921, a protest happened in response to a rumour that the Mamburam mosque was destroyed by the British and district magistrate E.F Thomas, district police superintendent R.H Hitchcock and Deputy Superintendent Amu Sahib were killed. Persuaded by it, on the same day, a group of 60 men under the leadership of Variyamkunnath Kunjahmed Haji attacked the vehicle of weapons in transport from Pandikkad station with the security of a head constable and seven other constables. After this, they attacked the police station, destroyed the files, destroyed a bridge and camped at Pandikkad.

On the night of 21 August, a meeting was organized with the chief leaders Variamkunnath Kunjamhmed Haji and Chembrassery Thangal’s participation in it.

From there, Chembrassery Thangal was appointed as the ruler of Chembrassery, Karuvakarakkundu, Melattur and Kalikavu and Kodalayil Musa Haji, the Adhikari (landowner) of Pandikkad was appointed as the ruler of Pandikkad.

The battle of Pandikkad held on 14 November 1921 is renowned in the history of the rebellion. It is also known as the attack on the Military camp of Pandikkad. Organized by Variyamkunnath Kunjahmed Haji and Chembrassery Thangal, the attack happened in the early morning by breaking into the military camp through destroying its wall. However, the attack failed with the powerful retaliation of the Britishers with guns.

It is believed that the attack resulted in the death of the British army captain John Eric Avrel, 5 soldiers, and about 200 Mappilas.

The revolts in the Pandikkad area ended only with the end of the Malabar rebellion.

References

  • Alihsan on Web.
  • പാണ്ടിക്കാട് യുദ്ധം. In Wikipedia.
    https://ml.wikipedia.org/wiki/പாண்டിക്കാട്_യുദ്ധം
  • പാണ്ടിക്കാട്. (2022, November 24). In Wikipedia. Accessed on 13.02.2023 from
    https://ml.wikipedia.org/wiki/പാണ്ടിക്കാട്